Winter in San Francisco is the best time of year. The perpetual fog the envelopes the coastline of California vanishes as the wind changes with the arrival of autumn. The sky becomes an unbelievable shade of blue, the air is crisp and everyone feels alive. Winter here is like no other place.

Everyone that is except for the new cadets attending Starfleet Academy. They are to busy to notice things like blue skies and fresh winds. For them they have just enter the fabled Alcatraz Penitentiary. Sure its visible from the Academy windows, but SFA can be as lonely a place as the Rock.

Cam MacLaughlin had recently arrived from the Xanor II outpost, and while she was here to study, she did notice the bonny blue sky and the wind. But more importantly she had finished the Officer Training simulations for the day, and had run some analysis for command. Now, she had taken the long walk down to the old pier to enjoy the sun, a few hours away from orders and training, to watch the fleet of racing boats as they plied the harbor.

The sun was warm on her face as she looked out at the bay, across to the Borough of Oakland up to the Marin Headlands. It was a beautiful afternoon. She walked along the area the boats were slipped. A small crowd had gathered, the small antique sailboats had attracted attention. Tourists mostly gawking and pointing chattering in languages from across the Federation. Cam took a deep breath of the tangy air studying the elegant simplicity of the lines. She was amused by the variety of names on the sterns and was interested to see that they hailed from all over.

The St. Francis Yacht Club was still home to some of the most exclusive boats. Before the Eugenics war, the rich sailors of San Francisco had kept their boats here. Some of the Americas Cup contenders had come from here as well, or so someone had told her once. The elegant history of the club had been preserved. The Antiques here were no exception and they were exceptional examples of the boat builders art.

It had been a stressful day that had begun before the sun rose, and an amusing diversion was the break she needed. Walking around San Francisco had always proved a tonic. The sun was slipping behind the hills to the Pacific, thus ending another day. A another diversion, sunsets were meant to be enjoyed.

She was greeted by a young cheerful blonde who was working on his boat. The other owners had left the docks. Cam looked at the stern proclaiming the name SeaWitchOne, a name that sounded familiar.

"Your Iggy Sanchez." she laughed when her confusion cleared and it dawned on her who he was.

"That¹s right," he laughed. He then invited her aboard and urged her to make herself comfortable in the cockpit. He then returned above deck and began picking up some tools he had out.

Cam studied his blonde crewcut as he worked at tightening a bolt. He was completing a job he had started, repairing a winch and capspin assembly. He shot her a cheerful grin that made his blue eyes disappear and showed off his rather large teeth. His ear was adorned with several small golden rings. He was average height and a light build. He leapt onto the dock wiping the wrench off with a rag. He did resemble Jesse. And clearly Jesse had said something to his brother about her because he suddenly laughed and said "I know you! Your the Science officer that my ugly little brother spoke of. I admit your a lot shorter then I pictured." he suddenly paused. "Hey look my house is there, why don¹t we get some lobsters and a bottle of Chardonnay and we have dinner there. I love to cook."

They walked through a nearby ship yard as Iggy explained that the boats on their cradles were hulls under construction and he spent part of the year here in San Francisco building boats and the other part in Sydney. The rest was spent going to races, and visiting clients that wanted custom hull built.

Cam studied the gilt sign on the side of the building, "Southern Cross?" she wondered aloud.

Iggy laughed, informed her that was the name of the firm and scampered up some wooden steps into the residential section above the boathouse proper. The house was unassuming from the outside but inside it was all glass and white paint, green marbled floor and comfortable looking furniture. The glass walls looked out at the Bay , from the Borough of Oakland to the Marin headlands.

"By the way, this is Jesse home away from home. Part of the reason I keep the yards here."

"I always thought it was Melbourne."

"I don¹t think Jesse's been home, to our parents place, in years. Hey I have two brothers and a sister to contend with. They all have rooms here, not huge but whenever they are in town they have a place. In fact Jesse shipped a bunch of things here from the Endeavour. He's on Mars right? Tending to something... Anyway, I put all of it in his room." he walked down a hall and opened one door, it was an old fashioned paneled door, made of real wood and stained very lightly. "Yeah here, is this yours? Jess left me a message you might be looking for your stuff."

Cam followed him and looked at the stack of Starfleet packing crates. So familiar but looking so odd in this place. She thought that it was strange that Jesse had sent her things here and neglected to tell her-- but then maybe it had to do with the rush off the Endeavour. The more likely explanation was that she and Jesse had something of a falling out on the way home. Not important at the moment, something she didn't want to dwell on.

"You live funny lives, don¹t you?" Iggy wondered as Cam read some of the shipping tags.

"Funny?" She wondered. After the trip back from Xanor II on the USS Carrington, nothing seemed funny. In fact the whole trip had been one crisis after another, it seemed. Nothing extraordinary but she was tired, more tired then she realized. Suddenly relived of responsibility she had fretted and snipped. The weeks leading up to their departure had been wrought with frantic attempts to see that all research was completed and that the refugees were seen to.

"Well not funny -funny but your as unsettled as I am. I prefer my boat to this. I like open air and sunshine."

"I never looked at it that way, but I suppose your right. I was a lot more at ease when we got to our staterooms on the transport. How did you know?"

"Years of listening to what life was like on station, my dad was an engineer but he was stationed at McKinley."

"Sounds like ship building runs in the blood, as well." Cam sighed as she opened one crate marked books. "Yeah some of these are mine, Jess packed them for me I had no time or desire to take care of this."

"He said you had a pretty rough go of it. Hey but that¹s behind you now. Lets go see to those lobsters."

Cam stood and looked around the room at the battered football by the bed and the rich quilt done in shades of navy maroon and hunter velvet. There were several model ships on the shelves and some old naval architecture book including a work on the Titanic disaster. His sports trophies were numerous. She had known that he was good but not that good. A dark oak frame encased several decorations from Starfleet. The room itself echoed the other parts of the house, large and airy, the floor marble one wall completely glass. Some things about Jesse, she thought, surprised her. This was not what she expected at all.

"I met your sister on Xanor." she said softly looking at a picture of all the kids together. It was old. There was a two girls in the picture, one a dainty little blonde. The other, dressed in pink with gobs of dark hair must be Barbara.

"Oh yeah? Witchy little thing isn't she?" Iggy laughed.

"Witchy?" cam wondered.

"Well Jesse ended up there, didn't he?"

"Yes," Cam said slowly.

"Then Barb and Jess surly fought, they always do. I¹m probably the only one in this family that DOESN'T fight with Jesse."

"I didn't know that." she said softly.

"Maybe I shouldn't call it fighting," Iggy thought for a moment," but Jesse has a way of hacking people off. He speaks his mind and has no qualms about doing so. Barb goads him so it cuts both ways. You know, truthfully, I think that¹s the reason he's a bachelor? It going to take a special gal with a lot of balls to put up with him. Every one I¹ve known that he's dated has dumped him for being a jerk."

"Oh really?" Cam wondered crossing her arms. "I guess you get along because of your candor as well?"

"Probably," Iggy laughed. "And the fact I was born first, I could tell him to take a hike all I wanted. That blonde was Esther. She was born before Jesse. She died soon after this was taken."

Cam followed him into the kitchen as he fussed around getting pots out and rummaging through the cooler.

"I didn't know about Esther."

"Well there was a problem with the pregnancy, anyway something was just not right. I think that it was a miracle she lived as long as she did. But I wouldn't discuss this with Jesse. He still to this day has a problem with it."

Finally they set out for the wharf on foot to get the freshly caught lobsters.

"Your comment about Jesse surprised me," she said as he looked over the bottles of wine in the in the shop along the Embarcadero. Iggy was having fun and it clearly showed. There was a joke just bubbling beneath , just waiting to pop out. Cam found herself laughing a lot.

"Ooo heres a real interesting vintage," Iggy said picking up a bottle.

Cam looked over at the label. "Hey Enda Valley is good."

"And how would you know?" Iggy shot looking at her. "You probably spent all your time in that ivory tower. How would you know the local produce?"

"Why do you want to take a sail and Ill show you?"

"Where are we going?" Iggy wondered.

"Pacific Grove."

"You lived in Pacific Grove?" He wondered. "No one LIVES in Pacific Grove."

"I did. I grew up in the Yellow House near the light house, last one on Lighthouse Ave. My dad restored that house."

"Cool, I know that place. Seen it several times taking clients down the coast. There's a really good plater in Monterey that does all my brass work." He studied her for a minute. "So why did my comments about Jesse surprise you?"

"Because he's one of the sweetest guys on the ship. He looks out for everyone. He's a good friend, I never thought of him as a jerk. Believe me I¹ve met all kinds. Gone out with a few too. I know a jerk when I see one."

"Ok but I know for a fact that he's never had a steady significant other since the Academy. When he thinks he's in love it doesn't last long, has a way of blowing up. Actually, you could say he's never been one for commitments."

"Oh," Cam nodded feeling a bit dejected for some reason. Something she couldn't put a finger on., but then Iggy had hit it right on the nose. Something had happened, it had blown up. Maybe it made her a little sad to know that history had a cruel way of repeating itself. It was something she had shoved to the back of her mind, something she had chosen to think about some other time. With all that she had been doing it just wasn't a priority. Still there was a bit of an ache there.

Somehow after the scrumptious dinner Iggy managed to convince her to stay, insisting that the next morning she move her things into the house.

Two dizzying weeks later, Cam was up with the dawn and watched the pink glow on the horizon turn burnished tangerine. She finished jogging up to the Academy buildings, a chore she loathed. But instead of immediately going into her pre-simulator briefing she was pulled aside and directed into the office of the Commandant of Officer's Training.

Her heart sank at this news. It meant one thing --the walk down Washout lane. She knew that she had not been performing all that well. She found the material difficult to master. It seemed to tax her every nerve. She had resigned herself to the thought that maybe while she could head a research team, she could not command a ship worth a hoot.

"I¹m sorry to inform you of this--" he began his eyes filled with regret.

"I understand sir, my test scores indicate that while I have a desire, I have no aptitude." She interrupted in a blunt matter of fact tone. She refused to look at the floor but instead, straightened her spine and lifted her eyes to the Commandant.

"Commander do you think your in here to be sent down Washout Lane?" He blinked.

"Yes, sir." She replied honestly.

"No, no its not that. An intelligence report just came in from the USS Orleans. They found a lifepod from the USS Lovell adrift. According to their sensor logs no trace of the Lovell was found. That was your brothers ship, wasn't it?"

"Yes sir." Cam replied slowly, her brain and mouth working at an inverse rate. Her thoughts were spinning and her stomach tightened uncomfortably. She felt sick.

"I taught your brother, he was a fine man, a good student and one damn fine Captain."

Cam felt herself grow numb and her breath catch. She stood more stiffly at attention attempting to cover the pounding of her heart.

"Id like to see that report sir." she replied coolly.

"I understand. Your dismissed to go over to Security to see to that request. MacLaughlin, your testing is suspended for three days. If you need counseling services--"

"Yes, sir" she replied stiffly suddenly adding,"thank you ,sir."

"I know how this feels I¹m a father and I lost my son at Wolf 359. Take the time."

"Yes sir."

Cam stepped into the atrium glass hall wondering where she should go next, what she should do. The sun was bright but she felt lost, in a dark cold fog. She felt she had to do something, it was almost as if her hands started itching with a tingling. Her hear raced and she breath was uneven. She had to do something!

How of all people could her brother be lost?

Her mind still spinning she decided to go find her brother's wife, her friend Kate. She was here, at Starfleet Medical. Had she been told?

Hours later she found herself with Kate in the Academy garden, time lost, knowing no more then she had earlier. Both contemplated the flowers in taught silence.

Kate broke the silence, "I guess I should tell you. Peter and I were going to sign divorce papers when he got back, at least we were thinking it over. It wasn't working and we gave it our best for a year."

"When did this happen?" Cam wondered struck by the oddity of her words.

"On Xanor, It all started unravelling then." Kate sighed in reply.

"Did you love him?" Cam asked her mind starting yet another orbit.

"Why? I guess I did." Kate sighed. "Now I¹m going back though this. Well I made it through Emil, I can make it through this. Please don¹t tell your father."

"Doesn't matter, when do I talk to him?" Cam wondered sourly. "What I cant understand is this bleeding lack of evidence! Kate let me get clearance and you and I, Jesse too, can go--"

"No! No searches not now. Emil taught me one thing about fruitless searches, they leave you bitter and disillusioned. No I don¹t want to search. Not now I¹m not --"

Cam looked at her friend. She was as close to being angry as she had ever been. Kate never got angry. Kate smoothed her curly hair and sighed.

"I loved Peter in his own way and I loved being a Captains wife when it was possible. But I love my life on the ship as well. I--we --decided when we first met that a little happiness was better then none."

"Then why the divorce?" Cam squawked, confused and frustrated.

"He wanted to spare me-- there was a lot you didn't know about. Ruth left him bitter and disillusioned. It was her ghost that haunted him and I could never fill her shoes. I couldn't give him children and I could never be with him all the time as a dutiful devoted Captains wife. That¹s what he wanted--a full time wife. I couldn't do it, and it was tearing us apart. He wanted to try but Ruth's memory kept haunting him and badgering him."

"I dint realize he had so much luggage."

"Neither did I until I was sent to Xanor. Something in his mind just popped and over the edge he went. It never affected his command, god forbid. He put on a good front, but inside he was dying."

Cam sighed and looked at the garden, "What now?"

"Life goes on," Kate sighed. "I thought we were a good match. Both of us widowed and had our eyes open. He never made a beef about my past, and I never asked questions."

"You know that Ruth was killed on a diplomatic mission that went sour." Cam commented. "It was something no one talked about."

"I knew that but I never realized how it affected him." Kate sounded wistful. She sighed and remained silent.

"Iggy going to begin to wonder if I fell into a hole." Cam grunted.

"Iggy? Jesse's brother?"

"Yeah, you want to come by the house? I don¹t think they'd mind an extra body at the table. I mean Ig was planning on cooking all day. New Year's Party."

"Cooking?" Kate laughed.

"He likes cooking and they do a bang up job. Well I think after Xanor even baked Goolah beans would taste pretty good." Cam shook her head. "I just hope we haven't missed the trip into the mountains. They are going skiing!"

"Skiing?" Kate breathed in surprise.

"Yeah," Cam looked at her suddenly.

"Well why are we standing here?" Kate wondered, "Fresh air and sunshine would do us both a world of good! Take our minds off of things at least for the moment."

Cam looked at the two meter Douglas Fir that had been growing in the Sierra Nevada mountains just a week earlier. It was aglow in tiny lights that glistened off crystalline snowflakes.

Suddenly home away from home felt different. It felt odd being here, but Iggy had insisted that she move out of the dorms and into the house. She took him at his word. Besides his compelling argument of fresh hot meals and peace and quiet had made the decision easy. Cam was being vexed by some of the others that shared her suite at the Corps. She didn't fit in and the situation rubbed her wrong. She had spent most of her career sharing quarters, meals and tools but this really bothered her. Xanor had been a cake walk, in comparison and when this cute blonde dangled a carrot of quite and food in front of her, she jumped. There was the element of feeling secure in the place a close friend called home.

The rest of the family, Barbara, Ferdinand (Ferry) and Jess had shown up for the skiing/sledding expedition into the snowy Sierra. Barbara had come from her assignment on Utopia Planetia, with her two brothers in tow. She was doing part of her internship at the Yard clinic. Jesse been spending time on Mars working with weapons system installation. Ferry was working as a consultant and contractor installing and designing holodecks for Starfleet. So the scattering winds had brought them together and the noise was incredible. It seemed as if the hatchet that had existed between them had been buried and brothers and sister were close friends again. "Well, at least it wasn't Christmas on Xanor. I don¹t know where we would have found a tree." she muttered softly. Iggy walked down from the kitchen area and handed her a glass of some yellowish creamy substance. Cam sighed and took a deep breath of the warm smell of freshly ground nutmeg. "Ahh eggnog, cant say I¹ve had this in a LONG time."

"I¹m glad its not Xanor either." Kate sighed. "But Jake would have made one mean Rum Toddy!"

Cam nodded in agreement, "Leave it to Jake."

"So," Iggy took a sip out of his mug. He looked at Cam with a tinkle in his eye.

"So?" she replied, peering at him over the rim of her glasses.

"Tell me how long has it been since you cut a tree, made snowmen and slid down a hill on your duff?"

Cam cheeks glowed. How many times had she ended up in a tangled heap of arms and legs this afternoon? She thought for a moment, "You know I honestly cant say I ever have. I mean I¹ve read accounts of how Christmas was celebrated back before the Eugenics war. My family never celebrated-- oh we'd have a party and such but not like this."

"When we were kids my mum being a teacher would read stories but somehow they lacked the umph because we would all be sitting around in shorts. I used to string lights up in the masts of the boat like they do here. I don¹t know the snow stuff and the old term 'White Christmas' never meant all that much. An alien concept between Mckinley and Melbourne. What about Father Christmas, did you have Father Christmas?"

"You mean Santa Claus?" Cam wondered. "No we didn't do that."

"I was always singing Midnight Mass," Kate smiled. "And ...heavens the bar was jumping. I always associate Christmas with being tired."

"Jesse always threatened to capture him and take all the toys." Barbara piped up from the fireplace.

"No he always asked for a pony, " Ferry laughed.

"And I usually got a new football or some such nonsense." Jesse grunted.

"Remember the bow and arrows?" Ferry mused his dark eyes lively with memory. "God you played Robin Hood until dad took all the arrows away because he kept finding them in the rose garden."

"And you were ambushed!" chuckled Iggy. "You always got ambushed!"

Cam let the happy sounds drift around her as she stared into the fire. Some how, it felt right being with these people. Something comfortable yet at the same time odd. She keenly felt a strange pang that left her cold. She glanced at Iggy watching him laughing with Ferry. She looked again at Jesse. He was defiantly strong and attractive. She looked at Iggy, and she felt bad. She was caught between old feeling for Jess and new feelings for his brother. What was over still left a lingering impression.

Kate and Jesse wandered into another part of the house, talking quietly between them.

Iggy sighed settling next to her, "I know that this isn't the time or place but Jesse told me about your brother. I am sorry."

"Thanks, I¹m upset but unfortunately that¹s part of Starfleet. Kate's taking it pretty well, all things considered. I think she, is at any rate."

"Some people are survivors."

"She is," Cam muttered.

"You and your brother, were you close?" Iggy wondered.

"No not really because he was much older, I always wanted to be like him. I know it sounds silly."

"Maybe not." Iggy shrugged. He gently reached over and caressed her hair. She kept her eyes on the fire feeling all churned up inside. "I had a little brother that wanted to be like me, dogged me. I know what its like."

"I just cant believe that it happened," she whispered. "I mean I know intellectually but,"

"But what?"

"It seems so unreal. Maybe its the lack of information, maybe its the lack of not knowing. I don¹t know."

They sat for a long time staring at the fire, Cam silently resting her head in Iggy's lap.

The yard was quiet except for the chiming of the halyards as the slipped boats road their moorings. Iggy Sanchez made out the form of his brother standing on the dock near the SeaWitch drink in hand. Somewhere the soft sounds of San Francisco the bells chimed on a church. A passenger hydroplane hooted its horn. It was midnight in Baghdad by the Bay.

"So," Iggy said softly. "What's up tonight? Everyone seems in a rather philosophical mood."

"Not a whole hell of a lot," Jesse sighed. "Isn't this what New Years about? Getting philosophical?"

"Not a whole..? Bull! You're a lousy liar," Iggy snorted.

"Well how would you feel?" Jesse wondered angrily sipping his bourbon.

"Well how would I feel about what?" Iggy wondered.

"I tried your advice I tried telling her my feelings and the whole kit and caboodle blew up. Now this."

"Excuse me?" Iggy wondered.

"I tried to tell Cam I loved her. But who was I fooling? Not her. She saw right through it and accused me outright of still being in love with Kate and I was merely using her a band-aid."

"Well, "Iggy pondered,"Did you?"

His query was greeted with a soft snort. "I tried, I really did and it just wasn't meant to be. We both admitted finally it was wrong, licked our wounds and vowed to move on."

"Ok so it was wrong, but what about Kate? You've got me there."

"One of those things that gets into your soul and you find you cant let go no matter how you try to."

"You liked her before and then suddenly she ran off and married?" Iggy wondered casting a squint at his brother. "I thought I heard someone say it was only a year, that she married a year ago."

"It was. I don¹t know if she realizes it or not but I have known her for three years. Have you ever seen someone and something about them just touched you, somewhere deep, in a way that just defies explanation?"

"Well I know a Betazoid skipper that sails here and he had a term for that--Imzadi. In fact the reason I know that is that¹s his boat right there. The Imzadi, she's in for a refinishing job. I wondered what the name meant, because it seems like every boat name has a tale. So he told me his. I thought it was a cool term. Question is does she understand?"

"I have no clue." Jesse growled.

"Well I wouldn't follow my own advice because obviously I was grossly off base with Cam."

"Maybe you were and maybe you weren't, because you pegged her quite well, without knowing her." Jess said thinking about the trip from Hawaii to Seattle and some of the things that they had talked about. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

"I can see where she's a tyrant and absolutely out in left field," he said after a moments thoughts about the latest house guest. "But then there are some beguiling attributes that warrant another look. More then a look, more like, you know."

"I think my older brother is about to do it again," Jesse sounded as if he were smiling.

"What?" Iggy glanced at him.

"Remember Lizabeth Handly from school?"

"Lizard breath? She was in your class and a little whiz cheerleader, right? I barely remember her."

"Yeah and when she met you after the Melbourne/Sydney match she was never the same. She mooned over you."

"But YOU were dating her," Iggy protested.

"Broke up after that." Jess muttered in a nonchalant manner. "Besides it was just one of those teenager things that meant nothing."

"So your accusing me of --stealing her?" Iggy accused him. "Besides you left for the Academy! She started dottering after me and hanging out at the dock then she met Chad and that was that."

"No, you thought she was cute, admit it. But it sounds like you've set your sights on Cam and you have her in the old cross-hairs. You're smitten."

"So what if I am?" Iggy kicked at the dock with the toe of his boat shoe.

"Storm warnings are up."

Iggy laughed, "Who's giving who advice?"

"No advice just a word of caution."

"What? that old sixth sense of yours kick in?"

"Yeah, in a way." he shrugged, "Lets say its telling me that something's afoot. Maybe I¹m right maybe not, but I think something there."

"Speak for yourself," Iggy quipped. "You know Jess, something else has been on my mind. I got an interview the other day with a firm that is looking for independent contractors to work on some subsystems stuff for Starfleet. Specifically they are looking for engineers, materials and such, as support on one of the Deep Space stations. Ferry was contacted and has already signed a contract, he's designing holodeck stuff. Same thing he was doing on Mars. Extension of that contract, really. But they called me."

"So what's the deal?"

"I have to leave this for a year," Iggy said slowly looking at the hulls. "I mean I know that Robin and Mark will still continue the work. They are good partners, But I don¹t know."

"How good is this contract?"

"I had Marv Lobaski look it over and it is good, I¹m just not sure I want to leave San Francisco, or Earth for that matter. I haven't been off planet that much, frankly I¹m a little spooked by it."

"Where is the base?"

"You probably know it," Iggy sighed,"DS13, big sports complex...at least that¹s what I¹ve heard"

"Yeah, I know it. Actually its not that bad a place, a little off the beaten path, what about a week away from here? Not too far and not terrible."

"It will be lucrative, " Iggy continued to think aloud." I mean I love the boats and such, but I need money to fund that new design and campaign her. Its been tight, Ill admit that. At least Robin's investment and interest will keep it going."

"I didn't realize that you were tight." Jesse said slowly.

"When hasn't it been? Hey the good years built this place that house...but it was sweat as you well know."

"Yep, I know." Jesse agreed.

"Now," Iggy clucked and sighed. "Ahh, who the hell knows!"

"Who knows what?" Jesse wondered.

"Should I? I mean I didn't count on falling in love or getting an off-planet offer, not in one week that is!"

"Sounds like a busy week."

"Too much, too fast." Iggy muttered. "Well the only consolation I have is that I¹m not leaving her to take this opportunity. I mean I haven't mentioned it to her in fact."

"I know. My promotion came through while I was on Mars I haven't mentioned it to anyone." Jesse sighed, "It has been one thing after another since returning from Xanor. Reports, meetings, it goes on and on."

"They officially handed you the bag, eh? Just like you said." Iggy laughed. "So where are you headed?"

"Haven't heard yet," he replied softly without adding that he felt it was probably where ever there was trouble. He'd seen the reports, he'd seen the specs on the weapons systems. Trouble, it was brewing further, and the sweet days of discovery were behind them. Vanished in the afterglow of the Bajoran Wormhole, vanished in the glare of explosion. Anyway Capt Forrester's remarks had confirmed his suspicions. But there was that incredibly fine line of what he could and could not tell Iggy, what he was doing was not for civilian ears. What was the old saying, loose lips sink ships?

There were those that insisted that all WAS right in the Federation, but something, that sixth sense, the peripheral vision said that was not the case. A malodorous sense darkened his mood. But that was not the sort of thing one mentioned to an outsider, even if it was your own brother. The fact was evident enough, from the desolate trickle of tears to the somber glare of thought. He did not know where or when the call would come but it would come, perhaps as a whisper perhaps in the wail of a klaxon. In a heart beat, San Francisco would be a memory and the house by the bay would be Brigadoon once again, lost in its fog.

A two weeks later, Ferry Sanchez looked at his older brother and with a swift nod of his head urged him to move along, "Com'mon, man, that shuttle's going to leave without us."

"Ah, Fer give me a mo'" Iggy grumbled coarsely. Iggy looked around the house for a moment and out the windows to the harbor. It was quiet, quiet in an unusual sort of way. All the crazy confusion of packing and of strangers removing things had settled into the remnants of fine dust. This was different then closing the house for business Down Under. He wouldn't be home for a long time. No one would be home, the wind had once again blown everyone onto a new course. Jesse and Cam had already left. Barbara was back on Mars. This left Ferry and Iggy alone to pack things and get ready for Mark and Robin's arrival from Sydney.

Iggy sighed and shut the door, engaging the security system and keyed lockset. Closing the door on part of his life, now he understood why Jesse had been so withdrawn and quiet, even the normally noisy Cam had become somber. Well he had a shuttle to meet, and there was no point in dilly-dallying now.

Winter was settling into the Bay. With it the blustery storms moved out of the Aleutian Islands and on shore, dumping rain and churning up the shore line. The Gulls mewed as they sought shelter inland away from the impending confusion. The halyards in the yard chimed softly beckoning him to stay, beckoning to remember sunny days gone by.